


Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

by whatkindofday



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Backstory, F/M, Fluff, Love, My First Work in This Fandom, Romance, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:55:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23191243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatkindofday/pseuds/whatkindofday
Summary: He had tried, in vain, to forget her beautiful face and husky English accent, but it was all he saw and heard whenever he closed his eyes; she was always in his thoughts and in his dreams.  He knew he wasn’t dreaming now, and wouldn’t risk closing his eyes in case he missed anything.
Relationships: Will McAvoy/MacKenzie McHale
Comments: 11
Kudos: 16





	Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

Slightly AU, early season 1

When Will agreed to represent ACN at the 2010 Peabody Awards, he was unprepared for what the evening would hold. Charlie had asked Will to come along with him and Leona under the guise that it would be positive for Will’s image post-Northwestern breakdown. He appeased Charlie and found himself in his $4000 custom Armand Fellini tuxedo seated at a table among other ACN executives. 

ACN hadn’t been nominated for anything this year; they were merely there in support of other journalists and media companies. It wasn’t until halfway through the evening that Will saw her. He hadn’t been paying much attention until she was called up onto the stage to receive a Peabody for her work in the Middle East; specifically, the coverage of the religious protest that resulted in her being stabbed. 

Will had heard about the stabbing through Charlie and considered flying to Germany to see her, but once he got word of her recovery, he changed his mind. He knew she had been sending him emails almost daily, and didn’t allow himself to read any them until after she got hurt. Though it was extremely hard to get through them, he read every one. He still had mixed feelings toward her; obviously he still loved her, but he hadn’t yet worked all the way through her infidelity and betrayal. 

Tonight, though, when he saw her on the stage, it was as if his world stopped turning. He didn’t know she was even nominated, but there she was, alive and healthy, and as breathtakingly beautiful as ever in her eveningwear. Her dress was a floor-length black column of silk with thin straps adorning both of her shoulders and accented at her slim middle with an oversized red bow. Her hair was shorter than he remembered, and so messily curled that Will immediately wanted to run his fingers through it. Her lips were the same color as the bow on her dress and Will found himself in a trance watching her. He couldn’t focus on anything else in the room, and was wholly unprepared for the effect that hearing her accent after three years had on him. 

He had tried, in vain, to forget her beautiful face and husky English accent, but it was all he saw and heard whenever he closed his eyes; she was always in his thoughts and in his dreams. He knew he wasn’t dreaming now, and wouldn’t risk closing his eyes in case he missed anything. He listened intently to her acceptance speech, hanging on her every word, and was truly disappointed when it was over. His eyes followed her every move back to her table. He didn’t know if she’d seen him or knew that he was in attendance, but now that he knew she was, he physically wasn’t able to take his eyes off of her. 

The awards portion of the ceremony had ended and the dinner began, to be followed by live music and dancing. Will was paying no attention to Charlie, Leona or the other ACN execs, and it wasn’t until Charlie poked him in the arm that he realized someone had been speaking to him. That someone was Reese Lansing, and Will had to keep from rolling his eyes in annoyance.

“Sorry, Reese, what was that?”

“I said, did you know that your cheating ex-girlfriend was going to be here?”

“Reese…” Charlie warned.

“No, asshole, I didn’t, and I don’t appreciate you speaking about her in that way. She’s a Peabody-winning journalist for Christ’s sake, and deserves respect from you and everyone else in this room.” 

Will was surprised at his own outburst and promptly excused himself from the table. He made his way to the bar and knew that Charlie would soon follow. Ordering them both a bourbon, Will turned around, steeling himself for the reprimand he knew was coming. 

“Son, what was that back there?”

“I don’t know, Charlie. I wasn’t expecting to see her and it brought back memories, both good and bad. I snapped because of that and because I can’t tolerate anyone speaking badly of her, especially insulting her character. You know as well as I do that she’s annoyingly ethical.”

Charlie tried to wipe the surprised look off his face but Will caught it anyway.

“After she got stabbed a few months ago I read all the emails she sent over the past three years. I was such a stubborn ass when we broke up that I wouldn’t even let her explain anything. Though I’m still trying to process it, she was with Brian only a few times at the very beginning of our relationship, before we were exclusive. I’m not saying I’ve forgiven her for what she did, but I’m beginning to see it differently.”

Charlie just clapped will on the back and gave him a knowing look before walking away. 

Will hung back by the bar for a while longer, his attention never straying far from where MacKenzie was. Dinner was now finished, and a few tables were moved out of the way to make room for a dance floor. Will heard a rumor that the entertainment for the evening was Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and knew there would be soon be lively dancing in the ballroom.

He heard the familiar notes of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and his stomach dropped to his feet. It had been a favorite of MacKenzie’s, and he sang it to her often, always trying to impart the lyrics’ meaning.

You’re just too good to be true  
I can’t take my eyes off you  
You’d be like heaven to touch  
I wanna hold you so much  
At long last love has arrived  
And I thank God I’m alive  
You’re just too good to be true  
Can’t take my eyes off you

Somehow, he had gone the whole evening without her noticing him, but as soon as the song began they locked eyes from across the ballroom. She tentatively smiled and he found himself smiling back. Before he knew what he was doing, he had crossed the room to where she was standing alone and came to a stop directly in front of her. 

Reaching out his hand to her, he said, “May I have this dance?”

MacKenzie blushed and agreed, taking Will’s hand and following him to the dance floor. He snaked his left arm around the small of her waist and kept his other hand in hers, bringing them close to his chest. They kept eye contact as they swayed to the song, and Will felt his head spinning at their close proximity after so long apart.

She leaned in closer during an instrumental break in the song and whispered “Hi, Will. It’s good to see you.”

He whispered back, so close that his warm breath tickled her cheek, “Hi, Mac. Congratulations on your Peabody. I saw the footage and you were spectacular.”

She blushed again, smiled and nodded her thanks. She was well aware that they were dancing, in public, in front of their colleagues, and wondered for a minute what people might think. Then she just decided to enjoy the moment of closeness with Will after she spent the past three years pining for exactly this. 

He was looking down at her with an intensity she wasn’t expecting, and she felt a warmth creeping up her chest and neck under his gaze. He began singing along with the music, directly into her ear so only she could hear.

Pardon the way that I stare  
There’s nothing else to compare  
The sight of you leaves me weak  
There are no words left to speak  
But if you feel like I feel  
Please let me know that is real  
You’re just too good to be true  
I can’t take my eyes off you

Mac was instantly transported back to a time when she and Will were together, and she felt a deep longing in her heart that made tears spring to her eyes. She knew the chorus was coming and sniffled her tears away so that she could sing along with him, never breaking their eye contact.

I love you baby  
And if it’s quite all right  
I need you baby  
To warm the lonely nights  
I love you baby  
Trust in me when I say

Will could see the tears in Mac’s eyes and knew they reflected his own. She shyly looked up at him, a cautious hope present, and quietly asked, “Do you still?” He wasn’t sure if it was seeing her for the first time after so long, the fact that she’d almost died, or pride at her professional achievement, but he felt his heart swell and answered her by moving his hands to cup her face and placed his lips on hers. 

“Mac, honey, I never stopped.”

You’re just too good to be true  
I can’t take my eyes off you  
You’d be like heaven to touch  
I wanna hold you so much  
At long last love has arrived  
And I thank God I’m alive  
You’re just too good to be true  
Can’t take my eyes off you

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm new here :) I've been a fan of the Newsroom for just over a year now and it's taken me about nine months to get the courage to post this story! I went to a Frankie Valli concert last summer and thought of Will/Mac when I heard this song, which is basically what happens every time I listen to music now (especially Van Morrison). The dress described in the story is the one Emily Mortimer wore to the Berlin premiere of the Bookshop. Hope you enjoy!


End file.
